Douglas residents undergo coronavirus testing

Health workers and a National Guardsman await a patient to test during previous asymptomatic testing. Melissa Blosser/Douglas County

With more than three quarters of the 1,798 tests of people without coronavirus symptoms returned there remains only a single positive asymtomatic case.

As of Wednesday evening, 1,379 results have been received with 1,378 negative, according to Carson City Health and Human Services.

All of the remaining tests should be of Douglas County residents, who were tested at Douglas High School and the Barton Medical Center at Stateline on Monday.

Testing typically takes 2-3 days, but Carson City Health and Humans Services said Tuesday that there is a backup at the laboratory and there might be a delay. Health officials will contact anyone who tests positive with further instructions.

A Gardnerville resident who participated in the testing said it was an easy process.

“You check in and are handed a short form to fill out confirming who you are,” she said. “The test itself is a health worker sticking two short swabs up your nose. (It) took seconds and it tickles a little.”

Tests were conducted by the Quad-County Multiagency Coordination Group and Management Team and Carson City Health and Human Services in an effort to discover if there are people who have the coronavirus but aren’t showing any symptoms.

The tests only determine if someone has the virus, not whether someone has had contracted the virus and recovered.

The 1,800 tests represent 1 percent of the population of the four counties. The Nevada National Guard aided health officials.

Carson City Health and Human Services Jeanne Freeman said she hoped to be able to conduct a second round of testing.

If someone develops symptoms after being tested, they should call the Quad County hotline at 775-283-4789.

There were three more coronavirus cases reported on Tuesday, bringing the total for the four counties covered by Carson City Health and Human Services to 127 with 84 recoveries and two deaths. One of the five active Douglas cases shifted to the recovered column for four active and 20 recoveries.